Correlations between Argon Ion Beams and X-Rays in a Plasma Focus

Abstract

We investigated the characteristics of X-rays and ions generated in a argon plasma focus discharge, and analyzed the correlation between X-ray emissions and ion emissions using the time of flight method composed with a Faraday cup, a capacitive current monitor, and p–i–n diodes covered with Ross filters. We obtained the energy spectra of argon ion beams, and observed X-rays of Ar Kα line and Cu Kα line. The optimum pressure range for ion emissions agreed with that for X-ray emissions, and ion energy distributions were shifted toward higher energies when X-ray emissions were good, which means the enhancement of the ion acceleration due to the mechanism of X-ray emission. The observed time correlations can not be explained by conventional ion acceleration models, but by a hybrid model describing the electric field induced by the moving current distribution, an anomalous resistivity, and the Hall effect.